Finding Hope In Neverland
by Jayne's Moonbrain
Summary: As the group searches for Henry in Neverland, Hook brings an old friend aboard that just might be the hope Emma was looking for.


+Finding Hope in Neverland.

They'd been sailing for what felt like weeks. Hook had said in the beginning that time is broken in Neverland. Sometimes a day felt like weeks and sometimes you'd swear only an hour went by and it was really a day. Emma felt desperate. They'd exhausted most of what Hook said was known Lost Ones territory. Hook had stayed confident but Emma was losing faith. Gold was even being more helpful than Emma originally assumed he'd be. He'd used some kind of magic to track Greg and Tamara but as soon as they'd entered Neverland's dense jungle, the trail went cold.

"We need a new plan!"her dad whispered to her mom. Snow shook her head. "He knows what's he's doing!"she whispered fiercely. They meant Hook. Her dad made no secret that he didn't trust Hook. But Hook had proven himself in that sense many times over. "I have another idea, if you're interested your majesties." His voice drawled from the wheel. Emma turned curiously. "Anything! We'll try it!"Emma said automatically. "What's your idea?"Charming said, temporarily willing to work with the pirate. Hook sighed. "We'll need help..."he trailed off. Emma swallowed hard.

It was many hours later that Hook seemed to be ready to put his plan into action. Emma was sitting on a railing. She watched Hook bring out a scrap of fabric and douse it in rum. He tied it to a piece of driftwood and toss it into the dark murky water below. He threw lit straw at it and smiled when it flamed. Emma wandered over curiously. Hook winked at her and opened his mouth. Emma was stunned when he began singing. And was even more stunned that he could sing.

"Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die.

The King and his men stole the queen from her bed and bound her in her bones!" He stopped abruptly and turned an ear to the water. A beautiful female voice answered back. "The seas be ours and by the powers, where we will...we'll roam!"

Hook smiled widely. Emma could only vaguely make out a shadow in the darkness. "Hello princess!" Hook called happily. Emma squinted as the figure drew closer. "Hello pirate!"she answered back, smile gracing her beautiful face. Hook pulled his coat off and handed it to Emma. He crouched down and held his hand and hook out. "We need your help, love." He said it softly and Emma watched as small hands slid into Hooks and he pulled her on to the Jolly Roger. As she came into view, Emma was stunned. She was beautiful. Large eyes and smooth white skin. As water droplets fell from her onto the deck, her tail began solidifying into legs.

The coral wrapped around her upper body fell away as Hook lowered her feet to the floor. Emma helped to wrap the coat around her. She was smiling sweetly at him. "Hello Killian."she said softly. He gave her a watery smile and Emma's heart clenched. "Hello Ariel."

Looking back, Emma should have seen that one coming! I mean. Her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming and she was currently on Captain Hook's Jolly Roger. Yet finding out Ariel was real was a lot to take in. "Ariel, this is Emma." Ariel turned to her and smiled widely. "Hello Emma. Welcome to Neverland."she said sweetly. Her voice was light and musical. Hook's eyes dimmed. "Emma's boy was stolen and brought here to the Lost Ones. But we've been unable to find them or her son. Will you help us, love?" Emma was pleased that Hook had been the one to explain things. Just hearing about Henry made Emma's throat tighten and tears well in her eyes.

Ariel put her hands on Emma's shoulders and gazed into her eyes. Emma's breath left her in a gasp. It felt like Ariel was staring into Emma's soul. Ariel smiled reassuringly after a minute. "I'll help you find Henry!"she said and Emma yanked her into a hug. Ariel let out a little giggle. "Alright. Swan, you need to rest." Hook said softly. Emma swallowed and nodded. She set to leave but turned back to Ariel.

"What made you decide to help us?"she asked feeling more vulnerable then she had in years. Ariel smiled softly. "I've lived in Neverland my whole life. No one has ever come looking for a lost child before. Your son must be truly loved." Emma felt the tears fall and nodded. "Thank you!"she choked out. She turned to leave and slept soundly for the first time since arriving in Neverland.

"Will you shut up?" Is the first thing Emma hears when she wakes. She blinks groggily. "I just can't believe it's her!" Her father says and Emma smirks. "She's something!"Emma agrees as she sits up. Charming points at Emma and nods at Snow. "When did she get here?"Snow asks Emma. "Last night." Emma answers easily. Charming leans in conspiringly. "She made Regina cry!"he whispers and then nods at Emma's impressed look. Emma rolls her shoulders and stands to head aboard.

Ariel is now fully dressed in pants, a shirt, and boots. Her hair is in an intricate braid down her back and is shockingly NOT as red as Emma expected. Fucking Disney! Ariel is saying something to Hook and he's laughing loudly. It's the happiest Emma has ever seen Hook look. Gone are his demons. He's just a man sailing on the ship he loves. And it's breathtaking. "Emma!"Ariel calls happy. And Emma can't look away. Ariel is every bit as beautiful as Disney made her seem but in different ways.

Her eyes are large and a deep, startling hazel. She has a small band of feckless across her nose and an easy smile. If Emma liked women...her thoughts trailed off as Ariel stepped to her and gave her a hug. "Morning Ariel." Emma says when Ariel lets her go. "Have you eaten?" Ariel asks immediately. Emma smiles indulgently. "Not yet. On my way!" Ariel nods once and Emma heads down the galley stairs.

Emma's stunned to see Regina sitting quietly at the little table, makeshift coffee in a mug in her hand. "Morning Regina." Emma says automatically. Regina chokes on a sob. "Good morning Ms Swan." The pain in her voice makes Emma sympathize easily. While Ariel represented hope to Emma, she was emotionally a lot to take in. Emma sat next to Regina. "She made me cry last night when she came aboard. When she said she'd help us find Henry."Emma explained. Regina nodded. "She told me that I was redeemable."Regina said, hope creeping into her voice.

That word again. Hope. Emma hadn't felt much of it since they got to Neverland. But Ariel was steadily restoring it for the whole ship. "I think you are, too."Emma says quietly to Regina. Regina nods. Tears have started again and are flowing steadily. "You need to eat something." Regina says a few minutes later. Emma nods and stands. They have fruit and a hearty bread Snow made in the tiny makeshift oven from (surprisingly) a recipe of Hooks. Emma cuts a slice of bread and grabs an orange. She's halfway through the orange and bread slice when they hear a bang from the deck. Emma and Regina both tear up the stairs.

Hook is smiling widely. Gold is on his back near what Hook said was the plank. Ariel is standing several feet from him, legs a shoulder length apart and shaking her head. "You'll never learn, will you?"she calls to Gold. Gold sneers at her and stands. He points his finger and Hook steps forward. It's a threat and they all know it. "You'll never change Rumplestilskin." She says again. But then grins. "Without hope." A beat of silence. "Your son is alive!" Magic pulses through the ship and Ariel pulls her necklace out to collect it.

Gold is choking on tears and Emma's breath has caught. Neal is alive? "How?" Gold asks. Ariel shakes her head. "I don't know the how or why. I just feel the bloodline."she explains. Regina steps forward. "So you feel Henry alive?" Snow looks at Ariel expectantly. "I do!"she says and Emma could swear she feels lighter. "Love, it's time." Hook says to Ariel. She nods and grips Emma's shoulder reassuringly. "I'll be back soon." It's said like a promise. Ariel disappears below deck briefly and reemerges in Hook's coat again. Hook is watching her carefully as she goes to the edge of the ship. She moves her finger in a circle to tell him to turn around.

Hook throws her a lewd wink before complying and Emma feels like she probably shouldn't have seen that. Ariel slides the coat off and dives into the water. Hook turns as soon as he hears the splash. He stalks to the edge where she jumped and waits. Snow and Charming cross to Emma and wrap her in a hug. Emma knows now that Neal is still alive. She's made a choice. In a single second, she's chosen Neal. The flirting with Hook was just a distraction. For both of them it seems. Emma doesn't think Hook knows it yet but he's in love with Ariel. And Emma has always loved Neal. Somehow, they're both gonna make this work.

"Im okay!" Emma says confidently to her parents. Snow is smiling at her and Charming is rubbing her shoulder. Gold has gone below deck. Emma feels like she should probably go check on him. But Gold will come around when he wants to.

Its hours later and Ariel hasn't returned. Hook has gone from happy and light to nervous and surly. He's grumbled all day and snapped at anyone who asked him anything. Hook stalks below deck for something and Charming and Emma are the only ones on deck. Emma hears a strange noise. Charming nods at her and they both creep to the edge of the ship. "Killian!" A voice whimpers. Emma's eyes widen. Ariel is holding on to the line they tossed aside for her. She's bleeding heavily.

"Oh my god!" Emma chokes out but her dad is already moving. He's running across the deck and grabbing a length of rope. He ties a large loop and starts carefully dangling it over Ariel. "Put your body through the loop!"Charming instructs. But Ariel is too weak. Emma screams "HOOK!" and a minute later, he's racing to them. He pushes Emma aside, none too gently, and dives into the water. When he resurfaces, Emma and her father both let out the breaths they've been holding. Everyone is on the deck now. Hook wraps the rope around Ariel's body and nods to Charming.

They both know that it's going to hurt her. But she looks like she's running out of time. Emma and Charming begin hoisting Ariel's limp body from the water. A second later, Gold grabs the line and starts helping. Hook is now climbing the neglected line. Regina races over and braces her legs to help him get his balance. Ariel's body is pulled aboard just a few seconds before Hook makes it.

Blood is pouring out of a large wound in her side. Her lips have gone blue. And she was human before she made it on board. "Do something!" Hook cries to Gold and Regina. Regina looks lost again. Charming leans down and listens to her chest. "She's still breathing. Barely." Regina has sprung into action. She's pushed Gold and Charming aside and is placing hands over Ariel. Emma feels the warmth that Regina's magic has made but nothing changes. Hook yells and smacks the mooring line.

Gold holds his hands out and tries some spell. The blood seems to dissipate back into her body but she doesn't move. Ariel is laying lifeless on the deck. Snow yells "move" and is pushing through. She leans down and has begun CPR on Ariel. "She's cold!" Snow says after a few seconds. Hook grabs his coat from the railing and puts it over her. Emma feels hollow. The little hope she felt is starting to distinguish. Hook's eyes are dead. "Kiss her!" Emma yells at Hook. He looks confused. "Kiss her Killian!" He shakes his head at her. She understands. He doesn't want to know, if she's dying anyway, that he's lost another love.

Hook sinks to the floor, tears marring his face. Emma crawls to Ariel and pleads to god to help them. Emma holds her hands over Ariel's body but nothing happens. Ariel is gone. Hops is gone. All hope of ever finding Henry!

Emma's hands warm when she thinks of Henry. Emma blinks in shock ad closes her eyes. She focuses everything on Henry. His smile, his eyes, the way his nose crinkles. Warmth radiates through her whole body. She thinks of how happy Ariel and Hook looked just hours ago. How happy she felt to hear that Neal is still alive. Emma will do anything in that minute to bring that happiness back.

Ariel coughs up water. Her side is healed. Her skin has color again. She's still coughing and Snow is rubbing her back. Hook is just staring at her blankly. "I...found...him!"she chokes out between breaths. Emma is staring at her in awe. She was just at deaths door and the first thing she says is that she knows where Henry is. SHE KNOWS WHERE HENRY IS!

"Where?" Emma chokes out. Ariel smiles slightly. "The cove. We're almost there!" Hook stands abruptly and turns the wheel a notch. He uses his spy glass and smiles. "We're getting closer!" Charming carries Ariel to a bed below deck. Snow follows to play nurse.

And in a matter of an hour, Hook, Emma and her father will fight the small army that Hook calls the Lost Ones. Regina and Gold will use magic (read fireballs) to slay some. Emma's sweet mother Snow White will shoot arrows and kill her own small amount.

Henry will cry happily when he sees his family. He'll cling to Emma and Regina for dear life. Hook will pat Henry's back and hold a hand out to help Gold up. Emma will see her father cry for the first time.

And hours after that, when most everyone is in bed, Emma will hear Ariel rise and slip nearly silently out of the room. She'll pad quietly down the hall, up the stairs, and right behind Hook. He doesn't flinch when her small pale hand slides into his. But Emma can see that his eyes are sea blue again and not the cold, distant dark color they adopted earlier. She can see Hook smile at her and it lights both of their faces up. And she smiles herself when Hook leans down and kisses Ariel soundly. Ariel smiles into the kiss. He swings her around and she giggles happily.

Emma doesn't need the magic to tell her. She can SEE that it's true love.

And that, she will never forget seeing!


End file.
